How to Change the Brakes on a Ford Explorer Xlt 4WD

Some of the early 90s Ford Explorers have disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear. Newer models have four-wheel drive disc brakes. Some are two-wheel drive and some are four-wheel drive. Many of them have ABS braking systems, which is an antilock brake system. The rear brake drums in the Ford Explorer were manufactured with several different sizes of brake shoes but the removal and installation procedure is the same. Drum brakes, however, must be installed using a different process.

Instructions

1

Place the jack under the car at the manufacturer's recommended lift points. Raise the car and place a jack stand under the vehicle to keep it from falling.

2

Remove the lug nuts from the wheel and then remove the wheel.

3

Use the ratchet and socket set to remove the two bolts holding the brake caliper on the hub. Slide the caliper off the brakes and rotor.

4

Remove the old brake shoes.

5

Using the C clamp or the caliper compressor tool, decompress the brake caliper all the way in. Be careful not to puncture the seal around the caliper piston.

6

Install the new brake shoes in reverse order of removal instructions. With the new brakes in place reinstall the brake caliper.

7

Reinstall the wheel and the lug nuts. Push the brake pedal down several times to push the brake caliper pistons back out before moving the vehicle.